Last Gasp Voices

Led by the Natural Resources Council of Maine, Maine Renewable Energy Association, Reed & Reed Construction Company and the Maine State Building and Construction Trades Council, a ballot initiative campaign is being kicked off, aimed at adding a referendum question to the November 2012 ballot.  According to this "coalition" the initiative, if passed, would “control energy costs, create jobs and cut pollution.” 

The driving force behind this initiative consists of some of the key players who have the most to lose if Maine’s energy policies are suddenly guided by sound science and economics; rather than policies designed to favor energy sources touted as ‘clean and green’.   As long as massive subsidies and incentives at the federal, state and local levels are available, wind turbine facilities built along Maine’s mountain ridges will be a very lucrative investment for the wind industry and its supporters. 

This ‘coalition’ would not be undertaking such an ambitious project were it not for the fact that Mainers are learning the truth about mountaintop industrial wind energy.  The wind industry has increasingly become concerned about upcoming policy changes at several levels in State government. 

On October 15^th, Governor LePage made clear his intention to introduce “common sense reform during the upcoming session” addressing “high electricity rates (which) cost Maine people and businesses millions of dollars per year more than other states and is an impediment to economic growth and attracting private sector investment.”

In September, after a rigorous and extensive public hearing process, the Bureau of Environmental Protection approved more stringent noise regulations for wind energy developments.  In January of 2012, Maine's 125^th Legislature will be charged with approving the BEP’s recommendations, thereby passing a measure which will protect our citizens' health and well-being.

And last June, 52 members of the House of Representatives agreed that the potential for negative impacts to health, quality of life and real estate values caused by industrial wind turbines was significant enough that they voted in favor of a 1.5 mile setback between turbines and residences.

These are significant acknowledgements that changes must be made to a policy which was orchestrated and promoted by the wind industry in 2008. 

The proposed referendum question would ask voters if they want to require that at least 20 percent of Maine’s electricity comes from ‘new’ renewable energy sources by 2020, while also requiring electric utilities to invest in energy efficiency whenever it would reduce energy costs for ratepayers.  Remember: Maine is already one of the cleanest states in the nation in electricity generation, even without wind turbines. Maine ranks first in non-hydro renewable electricity generation per capita, per gross state product and as a percentage of total electricity generation. We also have the highest renewable portfolio standard in the U.S.

Twenty percent (20%) wind energy in New England would not lead to the decommissioning of existing capacity nor would it negate the need to build new generation. While wind might displace fossil fuel (primarily clean-burning and affordable natural gas) it cannot replace fossil fuels. In addition, according to the New England Wind Integration Study, 20% wind in New England would require more than 4,000 miles of new lines at an estimated cost of between $11 and $15 billion (that's BILLION) dollars, added to the $5 billion (yep... that's also BILLION) already approved in New England.  No public discussion has been initiated on who would pick up this enormous tab, but as indicated by the Maine Power Reliability Project (MPRP), that burden will likely be socialized amongst rate-payers. 

The wind lobby, in this instance calling itself "Maine Citizens for Clean Energy" is making a last ditch attempt to keep their gravy train from derailing.  Wind energy has enormous impacts to Maine's environment; in addition to impacting Mainers' health, their pocketbooks and their quality of life.  It is hoped that Maine people will study the facts about land-based wind and come to the same conclusions scientists and economists have arrived at.  Hundreds of miles of industrial development and thousands of massive ridgetop turbines with their attendant high voltage transmission corridors built throughout Maine’s rural lands is not the clean and affordable answer to Maine’s energy challenges.

**Mandating that Maine build unneeded and high impact generating facilities simply to reach a nebulous "new renewables" goal is extremely poor policy.

**Requiring that Maine give preferential treatment to a corporate lobby's favored cash cow instead of allowing a free market to decide what is an affordable and favorable electricity source is not the answer. 

**Refusing to consider hydro as a 'renewable' form of electricity effectively cuts Maine out of a competitive market.  Not only is hydro renewable, it's dependable and it is able to be stored--two components wind does not have.

We can do better than this.  Mandating policies which give huge profits to one industry while leaving Maine citizens holding the bag is not something I can support.  I won't be signing the petition to force the wind lobby's initiative to be placed on our 2012 ballot. 

I hope Maine citizens can see past the rhetoric and propaganda. 

We can do better--much better-- than this.

Stand up.  Speak out.  Be heard.